Aaniiih Nakoda Nic'-Mni' (Water) Center

部落学院和大学计划（TCUP）的一个目标是增加TCUP机构的智力领导，使他们能够满足科学或工程的需求或兴趣，特别是为他们的部落或社区，或广泛地为国家。TCU企业发展中心（TEA中心）链允许TCUP机构利用他们在STEM教学和研究能力方面的投资。位于Aaniiih Nakoda学院（ANC）的Aaniiih Nakoda Nic -Mni（水）中心（“中心”）在其研究、教育和外展工作中与TCUP的目标保持一致，重点关注与贝尔纳普堡印第安社区（FBIC）相关的水质和管理问题。该中心建立并扩展了学院与FBIC多年来一直专注于水质监测和管理的伙伴关系。该中心的研究和推广活动建立了科学知识库，提高了公众素养，并为部落的水管理决策提供了信息。Aaniiih Nakoda Nic'-Mni'（水）中心将进行和整合四个相关的水研究的结果，这些研究是对FBIC至关重要的问题；提供培训和教育项目，为社区成员提供有效解决当地水问题所需的知识、技能、经验和证书；并收集和分享信息，这些信息可以被社区用来做出明智的决定，以适当地照顾和使用保留区的水资源。这项研究将包括对流入贝尔纳普堡保护区的地表水进行比较生物评估，主要是通过标准化的生物监测方法，其中包括底栖大型无脊椎动物和周围植物的协议；研究当地对地下水资源的影响；以及地下灌溉系统的潜在好处。培训和教育项目将针对ANC学生和FBIC员工以及其他当地利益相关者。ANC学生将有机会通过该中心实习，其他个人将有机会参加讲习班和短期课程。该中心还将作为当地社区关于水资源信息的交流中心。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the intellectual leadership of TCUP institutions so that they can address scientific or engineering needs or interests, specifically for their tribes or communities, or broadly for the Nation. The TCU Enterprise Advancement Centers (TEA Centers) strand allows TCUP institutions to capitalize on their investments in STEM instructional and research capacity. The Aaniiih Nakoda Nic'-Mni' (Water) Center ("the Center"), housed at Aaniiih Nakoda College (ANC), aligns with this TCUP goal in its research, education, and outreach work focusing on water quality and management issues relevant to the Fort Belknap Indian Community (FBIC). The Center builds on and expands a partnership between the college and the FBIC that has been focused on water quality monitoring and management for many years. The Center's research and outreach activities build the scientific knowledge base, increase public literacy, and inform the tribe's water management decisions.The Aaniiih Nakoda Nic'-Mni' (Water) Center will conduct and integrate findings from four related water research studies on issues of critical concern to the FBIC; offer training and education programs that will provide community members with the knowledge, skills, experiences and credentials needed to address local water issues effectively; and gather and share information that can be used by the community to make informed decisions regarding the proper care and use of the reservation's water resources. The research will include comparative bioassessments of surface water flowing onto the Fort Belknap reservation, principally through standardized biomonitoring methods that include protocols for benthic macroinvertebrates and periphyton; studies of local impacts on groundwater resources; and potential benefits of subsurface irrigation systems. Training and education programs will target ANC students and FBIC employees, as well as other local stakeholders. ANC students will have opportunities for internships through the Center, and other individuals will have opportunities to participate in workshops and short courses. The Center will also serve as a local clearinghouse for the community on water resource information.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.